DEC 2 , 2011 - Spiritdaily.com - Mariette Beco, the girl who had eight apparitions of the Virgin Mary, between January 5th and March 2nd 1933, passed away on December 2nd in the "Home de la Vierge des Pauvres" at Banneux, Belgium. She was 90 years old. The woman was very famous in the French part of Belgium and many foreigners visited the shrine. A little time after the apparitions of the Virgin, who presented Herself to Mariette as "The Virgin of the Poor," a chapel was build at the place of the apparitions.

On the 22nd of August 1947, Bishop Kerkhofs of Liège fully recognized the authenticity the apparitions. Very soon after his recognition, it became one of the apparitions fully approved by the Vatican in 1952. In 1985 Pope John Paul II went to Banneux and had an audience with her at the sacristy. Mariette Beco was married and was a mother of three children. It was only a few weeks ago that she went to the home. Today, Banneux Notre Dame is a place of pilgrimage and, as in Lourdes, there is a well of water with healing power. There is also a relief center poor the sick and their children. Banneux is situated between Liège and Spa.